SpartanNash Co - Quarter Report: 2015 April (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended April 25, 2015.

OR

For the transition period from                      to                     .

Commission File Number: 000-31127

SPARTANNASH COMPANY

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(616) 878-2000

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act)    Yes  ¨    No  x

As of May 26, 2015, the registrant had 37,610,923 outstanding shares of common stock, no par value.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The matters discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in our press releases and in our website-accessible conference calls with analysts and investor presentations include “forward-looking statements” about the plans, strategies, objectives, goals or expectations of SpartanNash Company and subsidiaries (“SpartanNash”). These forward-looking statements are identifiable by words or phrases indicating that SpartanNash or management “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” or “estimates,” or that a particular occurrence or event “will,” “may,” “could,” “should” or “will likely” result, occur or be pursued or “continue” in the future, that the “outlook” or “trend” is toward a particular result or occurrence, that a development is an “opportunity,” “priority,” “strategy,” “focus,” that the Company is “positioned” for a particular result, or similarly stated expectations. Accounting estimates, such as those described under the heading “Critical Accounting Policies” in Part I, Item 2 of this Form 10-Q, are inherently forward-looking. Our asset impairment, restructuring cost provisions and fair value measurements are estimates and actual costs may be more or less than these estimates and differences may be material. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of the Quarterly Report, other report, release, presentation, or statement.

In addition to other risks and uncertainties described in connection with the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, SpartanNash’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2015 (in particular, you should refer to the discussion of “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K) and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, there are many important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially.

Our ability to achieve sales and earnings expectations; improve operating results; realize benefits of the merger with Nash-Finch Company (including realization of synergies); maintain or strengthen our retail-store performance; assimilate acquired distribution centers and stores; maintain or grow sales; respond successfully to competitors including remodels and new openings; maintain or improve gross margin; effectively address food cost or price inflation or deflation; maintain or improve customer and supplier relationships; realize expected synergies from other acquisition activity; realize expected benefits of restructuring; realize growth opportunities; maintain or expand our customer base; reduce operating costs; sell on favorable terms assets held for sale; generate cash; continue to meet the terms of our debt covenants; continue to pay dividends, and successfully implement and realize the expected benefits of the other programs, initiatives, systems, plans, priorities, strategies, objectives, goals or expectations described in this Quarterly Report, our other reports, our press releases and our public comments will be affected by changes in economic conditions generally or in the markets and geographic areas that we serve, adverse effects of the changing food and distribution industries, adverse changes in government funded consumer assistance programs, possible changes in the military commissary system, including those stemming from the redeployment of forces, congressional action, changes in funding levels, or the effects of mandated reductions in or sequestration of government expenditures, and other factors.

This section is intended to provide meaningful cautionary statements. This should not be construed as a complete list of all economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that could adversely affect our expected consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to SpartanNash or that SpartanNash currently believes are immaterial also may impair its business, operations, liquidity, financial condition and prospects. We undertake no obligation to update or revise our forward-looking statements to reflect developments that occur or information obtained after the date of this Quarterly Report.

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PART I

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. Financial Statements

SPARTANNASH COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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SPARTANNASH COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

(In thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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SPARTANNASH COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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SPARTANNASH COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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SPARTANNASH COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)  

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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SPARTANNASH COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

Note 1 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (the “financial statements”) include the accounts of SpartanNash Company and its subsidiaries (“SpartanNash”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying financial statements, taken as a whole, contain all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary to present fairly the financial position of SpartanNash as of April 25, 2015, and the results of its operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

Note 2 Recently Issued Accounting Standards

On April 7, 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-03 “Interest - Imputation of Interest: Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.” ASU 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The new guidance is effective on a retrospective basis for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those years. Adoption of this standard in fiscal 2016 will retroactively decrease Other long-term assets and Long-term debt as of April 25, 2015 by approximately $9.9 million.

On April 10, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-08 “Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity.” ASU 2014-08 changed the criteria for reporting discontinued operations and modified related disclosure requirements. The Company adopted ASU 2014-08 in the first quarter of fiscal 2015.  Adoption of ASU 2014-08 did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

On May 28, 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which provides guidance for revenue recognition. The new guidance contained in the ASU affects any reporting organization that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards.  The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. On April 29, 2015, the FASB issued a one-year deferral of the effective date of this new guidance, which would result in the guidance being effective for the Company in the first quarter of its fiscal year ending December 29, 2018. Adoption is allowed by either the full retrospective or modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of this ASC on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Note 3 Restructuring and Asset Impairment

The following table provides the activity of restructuring costs for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015. Accrued restructuring costs recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets are included in “Other accrued expenses” in Current liabilities and “Other long-term liabilities” in Long-term liabilities based on when the obligations are expected to be paid.

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Included in the liability are lease obligations recorded at the present value of future minimum lease payments, calculated using a risk-free interest rate, and related ancillary costs from the date of closure to the end of the remaining lease term, net of estimated sublease income.

Restructuring and asset impairment charges included in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings consisted of the following:

Note 4 Long-Term Debt

On January 9, 2015, SpartanNash Company and certain of its subsidiaries entered into an amendment (the “Amendment”) to the Company’s Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Wells Fargo Capital Finance, LLC, as administrative agent, and certain lenders to the Credit Agreement.  The Amendment reduced the interest rates by 0.25% and extended the maturity date of the Loan Agreement from November 19, 2018 to January 9, 2020.

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Note 5 Fair Value Measurements

Financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable and long-term debt. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts and notes receivable, and accounts payable approximate fair value because of the short-term maturities of these financial instruments.  At April 25, 2015 and January 3, 2015 the estimated fair value and the book value of our debt instruments were as follows:

The estimated fair value of debt is based on market quotes for instruments with similar terms and remaining maturities (level 2 valuation techniques).

ASC 820 prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into the following hierarchy:

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, reflecting the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing.

Long-lived assets with a book value of $5.6 million and $0.9 million as of April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014, respectively, were measured at a fair value of $3.2 million and $0.0 million, respectively, on a nonrecurring basis using Level 3 inputs as defined in the fair value hierarchy. Our accounting and finance team management, which report to the chief financial officer, determine our valuation policies and procedures. The development and determination of the unobservable inputs for level 3 fair value measurements and fair value calculations are the responsibility of our accounting and finance team management and are approved by the chief financial officer. Fair value of long-lived assets is determined by estimating the amount and timing of net future cash flows, discounted using a risk-adjusted rate of interest. SpartanNash estimates future cash flows based on experience and knowledge of the market in which the assets are located, and when necessary, uses real estate brokers. See Note 3 for discussion of long-lived asset impairment charges.

Note 6 Commitments and Contingencies

We are engaged from time-to-time in routine legal proceedings incidental to our business. We do not believe that these routine legal proceedings, taken as a whole, will have a material impact on our business or financial condition. While the ultimate effect of such actions cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes that their outcome will not result in an adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, operating results or liquidity of SpartanNash.

SpartanNash contributes to the Central States multi-employer pension plan based on obligations arising from its collective bargaining agreements in Bellefontaine, Ohio, Lima, Ohio, and Grand Rapids, Michigan covering its distribution center union associates. This plan provides retirement benefits to participants based on their service to contributing employers. The benefits are paid from assets held in trust for that purpose. Trustees are appointed by contributing employers and unions; however, SpartanNash is not a trustee. The trustees typically are responsible for determining the level of benefits to be provided to participants, as well as for such matters as the investment of the assets and the administration of the plan. SpartanNash currently contributes to the Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Fund under the terms outlined in the “Primary Schedule” of Central States’ Rehabilitation Plan. This schedule requires varying increases in employer contributions over the previous year’s contribution. Increases are set within the collective bargaining agreement and vary by location.

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Based on the most recent information available to SpartanNash, management believes that the present value of actuarial accrued liabilities in this multi-employer plan significantly exceeds the value of the assets held in trust to pay benefits. Because SpartanNash is one of a number of employers contributing to this plan, it is difficult to ascertain what the exact amount of the underfunding would be, although management anticipates that SpartanNash’s contributions to this plan will increase each year. Management is not aware of any significant change in funding levels since January 3, 2015. To reduce this underfunding, management expects meaningful increases in expense as a result of required incremental multi-employer pension plan contributions in future years. Any adjustment for withdrawal liability will be recorded when it is probable that a liability exists and can be reasonably determined.

Note 7 Associate Retirement Plans

The following table provides the components of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014:

On January 1, 2015, the Super Foods Plan was merged into the Cash Balance Pension Plan which was renamed the SpartanNash Company Pension Plan. The Company made contributions of $0.4 million to the SpartanNash Company Pension Plan during the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015. This quarterly amount was determined based on 2014 plan year funding valuation results of the legacy Super Foods Plan. The 2015 valuation results for the merged SpartanNash Company Pension Plan may reduce or even eliminate the need for required quarterly contributions for 2015; therefore the Company does not expect to make any additional contributions for the fiscal year ending January 2, 2016.

As previously stated in Note 6, SpartanNash contributes to the Central States Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Fund (“Fund”) (EIN 7456500) under the terms of the existing collective bargaining agreements and in the amounts set forth in the related collective bargaining agreements. SpartanNash employer contributions during the fiscal year ended January 3, 2015 totaled $12.9 million, which Fund administrators represent is less than 5% of total employer contributions to the Fund. SpartanNash’s employer contributions for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014 were $4.2 million and $4.1 million, respectively.  Based on the most recent information available to SpartanNash, management believes that the present value of actuarial accrued liabilities in this multi-employer plan significantly exceeds the value of the assets held in trust to pay benefits.  Because SpartanNash is one of a number of employers contributing to this plan, it is difficult to ascertain what the exact amount of the underfunding would be, although management anticipates that SpartanNash’s contributions to this plan will increase each year.  On December 13, 2014, Congress passed the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (“MPRA”).  The MPRA is intended to address funding shortfalls in both multiemployer pension plans and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.  Because the MPRA is a complex piece of legislation, its effects on the Plan and potential implications for the Company are not known at this time.  Any adjustment for withdrawal liability will be recorded when it is probable that a liability exists and can be reasonably determined.

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Note 8 Other Comprehensive Income or Loss

SpartanNash reports comprehensive income or loss in accordance with ASU 2012-13, “Comprehensive Income,” in the financial statements. Total comprehensive income is defined as all changes in shareholders’ equity during a period, other than those resulting from investments by and distributions to shareholders. Generally, for SpartanNash, total comprehensive income equals net earnings plus or minus adjustments for pension and other postretirement benefits.

While total comprehensive income is the activity in a period and is largely driven by net earnings in that period, accumulated other comprehensive income or loss (“AOCI”) represents the cumulative balance of other comprehensive income, net of tax, as of the balance sheet date. For SpartanNash, AOCI is the cumulative balance related to pension and other postretirement benefits.

During the 16 week periods ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014, $0.2 million and $0.2 million, respectively, was reclassified from AOCI to the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings, of which $0.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively, increased selling, general and administrative expenses and $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively, reduced income taxes in each period.

Note 9 Income Taxes

The effective income tax rate was 39.0% and 37.7% for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014, respectively. The differences from the Federal statutory rate in the current and prior year periods are primarily due to state income taxes.

Note 10 Share Based Compensation

SpartanNash has two shareholder-approved stock incentive plans that provide for the granting of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock awards, and other stock-based awards to directors, officers and other key associates.

SpartanNash accounts for share-based compensation awards in accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 718 which requires that share-based payment transactions be accounted for using a fair value method and the related compensation cost recognized in the financial statements over the period that an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award. SpartanNash recognized share-based compensation expense (net of tax) of $2.9 million ($0.08 per diluted share) and $2.4 million ($0.06 per diluted share) for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014, respectively, as a component of Operating expenses and Income taxes in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

The following table summarizes activity in the share-based compensation plans for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015:

There were no stock options granted during the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014.

As of April 25, 2015, total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based awards granted under our stock incentive plans was $8.0 million for restricted stock. The remaining compensation costs not yet recognized are expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.8 years for restricted stock. All compensation costs related to stock options have been recognized.

Note 11 Discontinued Operations

Results of the discontinued operations are excluded from the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements for all periods presented, unless otherwise noted.  There were no additional operations that were reclassified to discontinued operations during the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015.

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Note 12 Earnings Per Share

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share for continuing operations:

Note 13 Supplemental Cash Flow Information

Non-cash financing activities include the issuance of restricted stock to employees and directors of $8.3 million and $6.9 million for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014, respectively. Non-cash investing activities include capital expenditures included in accounts payable of $2.0 million and $1.8 million for the 16 weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014, respectively.

Note 14 Operating Segment Information

The following tables set forth information about SpartanNash by operating segment:

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The following table presents sales by type of similar product and services:

Note 15 Subsequent Event

On April 27, 2015, the Company entered into an asset purchase agreement with Dan’s Supermarket Inc., a six-store chain serving Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota.  The transaction is expected to close in June, 2015.

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ITEM 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Executive Overview

SpartanNash Company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our business consists of three primary operating segments: Military, Food Distribution and Retail. We are a leading multi-regional grocery distributor and grocery retailer and the largest distributor, by revenue, of grocery products to military commissaries and exchanges in the United States.

Our Military segment contracts with manufacturers to distribute a wide variety of grocery products primarily to military commissaries and exchanges located in the United States, the District of Columbia, Europe, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Egypt, Bahrain and Honduras. We have over 40 years of experience acting as a distributor to U.S. military commissaries and exchanges.

Our Food Distribution segment provides a wide variety of nationally branded and private label grocery products and perishable food products, including dry groceries, produce, dairy products, meat, deli, bakery, frozen food, seafood, floral products, general merchandise, pharmacy and health and beauty care from 12 distribution centers to approximately 2,100 independent retail locations and 159 corporate-owned retail stores located in 44 states, primarily in the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Southeast regions of the United States. We also service a large national retailer with certain product classes.  Food Distribution sales are made to more than 11,500 retail locations for this customer.

Our Retail segment operates 159 supermarkets in the Midwest and Great Lakes which operate primarily under the banners of Family Fare Supermarkets, No Frills, Bag ‘N Save, Family Fresh Markets, D&W Fresh Markets, Sun Mart and Econofoods. Our retail supermarkets typically offer dry groceries, produce, dairy products, meat, frozen food, seafood, floral products, general merchandise, beverages, tobacco products, health and beauty care products, delicatessen items and bakery goods. We offer pharmacy services in 79 of our supermarkets and we operate 30 fuel centers. Our retail supermarkets have a “neighborhood market” focus to distinguish them from supercenters and limited assortment stores.

Typically, all fiscal quarters are 12 weeks, except for our first quarter, which is 16 weeks and will generally include the Easter holiday. Our fourth quarter includes the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.  Fiscal 2014 was comprised of 53 weeks.  As a result, the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 consisted of 13 weeks.

The following table sets forth items from our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings as a percentage of net sales and the year-to-year percentage change in the dollar amounts:

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Adjusted Operating Earnings

Adjusted operating earnings is a non-GAAP operating financial measure that the Company defines as operating earnings plus or minus adjustments for items that do not reflect the ongoing operating activities of the Company and costs associated with the closing of operational locations.

The Company believes that adjusted operating earnings provide a meaningful representation of its operating performance for the Company. The Company considers adjusted operating earnings as an additional way to measure operating performance on an ongoing basis. Adjusted operating earnings is meant to reflect the ongoing operating performance of all of its distribution and retail operations; consequently, it excludes the impact of items that could be considered “non-operating” or “non-core” in nature, and also excludes the contributions of activities classified as discontinued operations. Because adjusted operating earnings is a performance measure that management uses to allocate resources, assess performance against its peers and evaluate overall performance, the Company believes it provides useful information for investors. In addition, securities analysts, fund managers and other shareholders and stakeholders that communicate with the Company request its operating financial results in adjusted operating earnings format.

Adjusted operating earnings is not a measure of performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and should not be considered as a substitute for operating earnings, cash flows from operating activities and other income or cash flow statement data. The Company’s definition of adjusted operating earnings may not be identical to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

Following is an unaudited reconciliation of operating earnings to adjusted operating earnings for the sixteen weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014.

Adjusted earnings from Continuing Operations

Adjusted earnings from continuing operations is a non-GAAP operating financial measure that we define as earnings from continuing operations plus or minus adjustments for items that do not reflect the ongoing operating activities of the Company and costs associated with the closing of operational locations.

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We believe that adjusted earnings from continuing operations provide a meaningful representation of our operating performance for the Company. We consider adjusted earnings from continuing operations as an additional way to measure operating performance on an ongoing basis. Adjusted earnings from continuing operations is meant to reflect the ongoing operating performance of all of our distribution and retail operations; consequently, it excludes the impact of items that could be considered “non-operating” or “non-core” in nature, and also excludes the contributions of activities classified as discontinued operations. We believe that adjusted earnings from continuing operations provides useful information for our investors because it is a performance measure that management uses to allocate resources, assess performance against its peers and evaluate overall performance. In addition, securities analysts, fund managers and other shareholders and stakeholders that communicate with us request our operating financial results in adjusted earnings from continuing operations format.

Adjusted earnings from continuing operations is not a measure of performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and should not be considered as a substitute for net earnings, cash flows from operating activities and other income or cash flow statement data. Our definition of adjusted earnings from continuing operations may not be identical to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

Following is an unaudited reconciliation of earnings from continuing operations to adjusted earnings from continuing operations for the sixteen weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014.  

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP operating financial measure that we define as operating earnings plus depreciation and amortization, and other non-cash items including deferred (stock) compensation, the LIFO provision, as well as adjustments for unusual items that do not reflect the ongoing operating activities of the Company and costs associated with the closing of operational locations.

We believe that adjusted EBITDA provides a meaningful representation of our operating performance for the Company as a whole and for our operating segments. We consider adjusted EBITDA as an additional way to measure operating performance on an ongoing basis. Adjusted EBITDA is meant to reflect the ongoing operating performance of all of our distribution and retail operations; consequently, it excludes the impact of items that could be considered “non-operating” or “non-core” in nature, and also excludes the contributions of activities classified as discontinued operations. Because adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA by segment are performance measures that management uses to allocate resources, assess performance against its peers, and evaluate overall performance, we believe it provides useful information for our investors. In addition, securities analysts, fund managers and other shareholders and stakeholders that communicate with us request our operating financial results in adjusted EBITDA format.

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Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and should not be considered as a substitute for net earnings, cash flows from operating activities and other income or cash flow statement data. Our definition of adjusted EBITDA may not be identical to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

Following is an unaudited reconciliation of operating earnings to adjusted EBITDA for the sixteen weeks ended April 25, 2015 and April 19, 2014.

Reconciliation of operating earnings to adjusted EBITDA by segment: